Automatic clutch for car-starters



(No Model.)

E. DEDERIGK.

AUTOMATIC GLUTOH FOR GAR STARTERS.

Patented June 24, 1890.

7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EZRA DEDERICK, OF MILWVAUKEE, IVISOONSIN.

AUTOMATIC CLUTCH FOR CAR-STARTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,629, dated June 24, 1890.

Application filed October 16, 1889. fScrial No. 327,184. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EZRA DEDERICK, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of \Visconsin, have invented a new and useful Automatic Clutch and I do hereby d eclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a clutch that is adapted for use on the axles of cars for starting or increasing the motion of the wheels, or may be used on a revolving shaft for starting it or increasing its movement.

Figure 1 is a section of my device shown on linel 1 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 2 is a side view of the complete device, parts being broken away to show interior construction. Fig. 3 is a view of the shoe and lower ends of the clampingarms. Fig. 4 is a detail of a portion of the device for shifting the bearing when it is desired to change the direction of the operation of the clutch.

In the drawings, A is an axle or shaft. On the axle is a frame B, consisting of two plates B B, secured to each other at a distance apart by bolts 0 and C and postsD D. This frame is supported loosely on the axleA and extends to some distance above the axle, being held in its slightly-inclined position when used in connection with flexible draw-bars, as by the gravity of the counterpoise E. The counter-poise E is supported in the lower part of the frame, being preferably provided with a slot E, through which the bolt 0 passes, whereby it is adapted to be moved either to right or left, thus providing for shifting the center of gravity of the frame, whereby the upper extremity of the frame is held either tilted to the right, as shown in Fig. 1, or it may be tilted to the left for reversing the direction of operation; Two clamping-arms F F, located on the inside of and adjoining the plates B B, are affixed at their lower ends to a shoe G, the clamping-arms and the shoe being secured together in one rigid piece. The axle A passes through an aperture therefor in the clamping-arms. A friction-pad I-I, constructed of paper or of cloth, leather, rubber,

or similar material, is secured fixedly to and about the axle A, and is conveniently held in place and supported by side walls or disks I I rigid to the axle A. The inside of the shoe G is curved and adapted to fit and engage the friction-pad II when brought in contact with it.

A pin M, fixed at its ends in laterally-sliding bars N N, passes through slots P P in the plates B B and through the apertures in the arms F F, and carries thereon two small wheels L L, and interposed between them to hold them in position is a small collar Q. The pin M with the small wheels L L thereon serve as a bearing adapted to impinge against shoulders K K on the arms F F. These shoulders K K are straight and at right angles to the central radial line of the arms F F. When the plates B B are tilted, as shown in Fig. 1, the wheels L L engage the arms 'F F at the inner side about the aperture and carry the arms F F with the plates B B into an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 1. The arms F F at their upper extremities are somewhat thickened, forming weights K K, which are of sufficient gravity to hold the arms F F in their inclined position, when the frame B is swung over forwardly until the wheels L L in the arc of their motion about the axle A engage, and, bearing against the shoulders K K, force the arms F F outwardly, and bring the shoe G into rigid engagement with the pad H, whereby by the continued forward motion of the frame B the axle is rotated.

In the top of the frame B a pulley R is provided,Which is journaled on the bolt 0, and is adapted for carrying thereon the operating draft-belt S, which is ordinarily secured fixedly at one end and attached to the powersupply at the other end, or a frame may be operated by a rigid draft-rod S, secured to the top of the frame, or even both the rigid rod S and the flexible band S may be used, if desired.

It will be understood that in the mechanism, as described and arranged as shown in Fig. 1, when the top of the frame is moved to the left the bearing supported on pin M will be carried against the shoulders K K, and the arms F F will be forced outwardly radially, bringing the shoe G into firm engagement with the friction-pad H, and thereupon the axle A will be forced to rotate with the continued movement of the frame,

and when the top of the frame is released from its forward strain and is moved in the reverse direction by the rod S, or is permitted to tilt back under the gravity of the counterpoise E, or even by the acquired inertia of the axle, the engagement of the hearings on the pin M against the shoulders F will be released, and the shoe G will be released from engagement with the friction-pad H. In this form with a single clutch an axle or a shaft can be started in its rotating movement and the rotating movement can be increased from time to time by the aid of a single clutch; but if desired two clutches can be used on the same axle or shaft, and by their alternate use by an equalizer in the manner allowed to me in my patent, No. 412,732, filed January 3, 1889, the continuous advantage of the increased leverage of the clutch can be secured. hen it is desired to operate the clutch to rotate the axle in the other direction, the pin M is shifted to the other side of the arms F by drawing the bars N N in that direction in their supporting-brackets O O, which are affixed rigidly to the plates B B. The shifting of the bars N N is conveniently accomplished by means of the shifting-lever T pivoted at one end on a plate B and connected medially by a link U to the bars N N, which are preferably connected together at" the end to which the link Uis pivoted. When the pin M is shifted to the other side of the arms F F, the counterpoise E must also be accomplished by loosening the nut on the bolt 0. It will also be understood that the slots P P and bars N N are only necessary when the clutch is intended and adapted to be used for motion in both directions of the axle, and that if the clutch is desired to be used only in one direction the pin M can be fixed rigidly in the plates B B, and the counterpoise E can be secured rigidly to the plates B B, both in the positions and locations shown in Fig. 1;

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An automatic clutch consisting of a frame 7 supported movably on an axle, in combination with clamping-arms having a shoe adapted to engage a friction-surface on the axle, and shoulders on the arms adapted to be engaged by a bearing secured on the frame, substantially as described.

2. The combinatiomwith a frame supported movablyin a slightly-inclined position on an axle, of movable clamping-armshaving a shoe adapted to engage a friction-pad on the axle, shoulders on the clamping-arms, bearings secured to the frame and adapted to engage the shoulders on the arms, and a friction-pad fixed on the axle, substantially as described.

3. In a clutch, a frame supported movably in an inclined position on an axle and a counterpoise thereon, in combination with clamping-arms provided with counter-Weights and with a shoe adapted to engage the axle, and a bearing secured to the frame and adapted to engage the shoulders on the arms, substantially as described.

4. In a c1utch,a frame secured movably on an axle provided with a counterpoise,whereby it is held yieldingly in an inclined position, in combination with clamping-arms provided with a shoe adapted to engage the axle and counter-weights, whereby the clampingarms are held in an inclined position independently of the frame, and a bearing secured to the frame and adapted to engage shoulders 011 the clamping-arms, substantially as described.

5. In aclutch, a frame secured movably on an axle, and a counterpoise secured adjust ably to the frame, in combination with sliding bars carrying a pin, serving as a bearing adapted to engage clam pin g-arms, and means, substantially as described, for shifting the sliding bars.

6. In an automatic clutch,the combination of a friction-pad secured fixedly to the supporting-axle, with a clamping-shoe fixed on movable arms, and means, substantially as described, for swinging the arms and forcing the shoe into engagement with the pad.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EZRA DEDERIOI W'itnesses:

O. T. BENEDICT, JAs. B. ERWIN. 

